Once outside, I took Rey’s hand again, my stomach tightening.
We didn’t even get a full gold.
All the jewelry my parents had given me was fake.
If I hadn’t stolen the ring, we wouldn’t have gotten anything at all.
“Do we still have enough to sign up at the guild?” “I… I think so.
We’ll just have to see when we get there.
Stay close Kat.” Rey straightened himself up and pushed forward again.
Rey.
I felt like I could breathe a little more, his confidence comforting me.
He may not know what he was doing either, but just the fact he was here and calm meant a lot to me.
I tightened my grip on his hand.
We made it to a big street, with carriages rolling through.
He turned right, and we followed the street to a park area.
We paused on the corner as he scanned the buildings around the plaza.
“Hey!
I think that’s the guild up ahead!” It was pretty big.
I picked out the sign for the guild, hanging above the doors, which were thrown wide open.
People in armor bustled in and out, or stood nearby, talking with other adventurers.
It was two stories tall, at least.
Rey pulled me to the entrance, and took a deep breath before plunging inside.
It was just as busy inside as out.
Adventurers congregated around tables, waitresses carried trays to and fro.
It was like a mixture of an inn and town hall, there was an eating area with a small stage along the back wall, and to the left were counters manned by neat women who smiled at the adventurers, and big boards with papers posted on them.
We got into line, and waited until it was our turn to speak with the lady at the counter.
Rey stepped up to the counter.
“Hello?” “Hm?” We could just barely see above the counter.
A nice-looking lady turned and adjusted her glasses.
She smiled at us.
“Aw.
How cute.
Are the two of you playing adventurers?
Want me to send you on a quest?” Rey shook his head.
“We didn’t come here to play miss.
We’re here to sign up!” He set the money pouch on the counter, and she adjusted her glasses, her brows knitting together.
“Well, you see, we don’t actually take children unless—” “Unless they don’t have guardians.
We know.
Neither of us have guardians, so we have to support ourselves.
How much for the fee?” Now she looked even more uncomfortable, shifting and glancing at a door behind the counters.
“Um… okay.
But for you to successfully sign up, you have to be approved by the guildmaster.
Please, wait here, and let me go get him.” Oh.
She backed away quickly, retreating through the door.
I didn’t like this.
“Rey, maybe we should just leave.” “It’ll be fine Kat.
The guildmaster just has to give us his approval.” His hand tightened around mine.
A sudden set of heavy footsteps burst through the back door.
The biggest man I’d ever seen, with scars all over his face, and an eyepatch, dark brown hair streaked with silver.
He had a loose red shirt, and black pants, with a pair of sturdy boots that kept him planted to the ground.
He bellowed out into the guild, his voice deep and loud, silencing the other adventurers.
“So, where are the runaway brats?” Rey caught his breath and whirled around, to the doors.
“Shit!
Kat run!” I ran with him, but we were forced to skid to a stop when a few adventurers slid and blocked our way.
Rey turned again, desperate, but it was too late.
Our hands broke apart when someone grabbed the back of my shirt and lifted me up.
Rey was given the same treatment, and he vainly kicked at the guildmaster, and punched at him as he held him out.
The guildmaster chuckled at Rey’s attempts to fight back.
“Eh, you’re a feisty one aren’t you?
Come on now.
Let’s head upstairs and see if we can talk the two of you into making better life choices.” “Agh!
Let.
Us.
Go!” Rey kept struggling as the guildmaster carried both of us with ease.
I just curled up, my stomach feeling cold with dread.
This was it.
We did our best.
But now they were going to send me back.
And I’ll… I’ll… I sniffled.
And started crying.
“Guildmaster!
You’re scaring them!
Set them down right now!” A new voice, a woman.
But I couldn’t see anything through my tears.
I couldn’t go back, I just couldn’t.
“Wha—Ack!
Sorry girlie, I didn’t mean to make you cry.” I was lowered down to the ground, but I couldn’t stop my tears.
This was it.
I was going to have to marry that horrible old count.
And he’ll, he’ll… “Kat!
Kat, it’s okay!
Come on Kat, look at me.” A hand tilted my face up.
Rey.
His pretty eyes crinkled at me in a forced smile.
“It’s okay Kat.
I told you; I’ll protect you.
I’ll figure a way out of this, I promise.” Rey.
His voice helped calm me down.
I gave a big sniff, and nodded, trying to be calm.
Like an adult.
Rey and I were on our own now.
We had to rely on ourselves.
A sigh.
I finally looked up, at the pretty lady standing next to the guildmaster.
She had two thin, long swords sheathed at her hips, and her thick black hair was tied back in a ponytail.
She wore pants, with a riding jacket, looking more like a dashing prince than an adventurer.
“Guildmaster, I know we received a missing persons’ report about them, but we should at least hear them out first.
You know some children have good reasons.” The guildmaster rubbed the back of his head, rebuked by the much smaller woman.
“Sorry.
I suppose after that display, there may be more to their situation than a couple of kids with big heads.
Alright you two, come in.
Into the office.” He turned and opened a door, revealing a nice office beyond.
Rey still regarded him with suspicion.
His hand reached down to mine and gripped it tightly, before tugging me forward, into the room.
There were two sofas facing each other, next to a fireplace that currently wasn’t lit.
On the other side of the room was a desk filled with paper, but the guildmaster and the lady ignored that as they sank into one of the sofas.
We took the other side, and I never let go of Rey’s hand.
It helped ground me.
Reminded me I wasn’t alone in this.
That I could count on Rey.
The woman looked between us and sighed.
“Now you have them all on edge!
Kids, it’s okay, I promise.
We just want to talk to you.
We received a telepaper about the two of you just an hour ago.
Supposedly, the two of you ran away from home together.
Oh, I’m the vice guildmaster, Anna, and this dumb lug is the guildmaster, Orick.” Orick nodded, casually leaning back on the sofa and crossing his legs.
“Yeah, sorry for surprising the two of you so badly.
Now, we received the report, but I want to hear things from your perspective.
Why did the two of you run away?” I wrung my hands, nervous.
Could… could we really tell them?
I looked over to Rey for guidance.
But he looked as unsure as me.
Um… “I… I… I don’t want to get married!” My words fell out in a rush once I got started, wobbling near the end.
The adult’s eyes widened, and they shared a look.
Anna leaned forward.
“Married?
But you’re too young to get married.
Is that why you ran away?” I nodded, feeling the tears prick at my eyes again.
“My parents… they want to marry me to Count Solace.
But I don’t want to!
He’s scary!
And weird!” The guildmaster tsked.
“Damn.
What do you think Anna?
A case of noble dealing or just straight up trafficking?” Anna rubbed her forehead and sighed.
“I’m inclined to think trafficking.
You know the rumors about Solace.
Okay, hey, it’s okay Katerina.
We won’t send you back.” She smiled warmly at me, and I sniffed.
“Really?” She nodded.
“Really.
Not wanting to get married is a good reason to run away.
We won’t send you back.
As for you Rey…” He stiffened up as her eyes turned towards him.
“Did you run away just to help your friend?
Or do you have a good reason to run away too?” “I… I ran away to protect Kat!
And I don’t want to work as a farrier!
I want to become an adventurer!” He met both of their gazes head on.
She glanced at the guildmaster.
“Typical case then.
Orick, what do you think?” Orick gazed Rey, almost bored.
He leaned in.
“If we send you back, are you going to try and run away again?” “Yes.” Rey didn’t hesitate at all to answer.
His hand just tightened around mine.
Orick leaned back again.
“Yeah, we aren’t prying him off the girl with a crowbar.
Plus, they ran away together.
If we send him back, they’ll know the girl is here too.
Might as well take them both in and pretend they’re different children altogether.” Anna let out another long sigh, looking at the two of us.
“Fine.
Fine.
This is fine.
Kids, welcome to the adventurer’s guild.” She rubbed her forehead again as Rey and I shared an incredulous look.
We… did it?
We did it!
We were now independent!
… Now what?